AMAZONIAN KNOWLEDGE IN DIALOGUE: PLAY CULTURE AND KNOWLEDGE CONSTRUCTION BETWEEN CHILDREN AND OLDER ADULTS

Abstract

This study examines the collective construction of Amazonian knowledge through the culture of play in intergenerational practices involving children in Early Childhood Education and older adults at the University of Maturity. It is an applied study with a qualitative approach and an exploratory and descriptive design, grounded in the inductive method. The research investigates educational experiences developed through the partnership between the Amâncio José de Moraes Municipal Early Childhood Education Center and the University of Maturity at the Federal University of Tocantins. The methodological procedures included bibliographic, field, and participant research, considering the narratives, memories, and lived experiences of the participants. Data analysis was guided by a phenomenological perspective, seeking to understand the meanings attributed by participants to the educational practices they experienced. The findings indicate that play constitutes an educational language capable of fostering dialogue between generations and strengthening Amazonian identity. The experiences revealed that children and older adults acted as protagonists in the educational process, sharing knowledge related to traditional narratives, folk games, oral traditions, collective memory, and the cultural expressions of the Amazonian territory. Finally, the study concludes that intergenerational practices grounded in play contribute to contextualized education, expand pedagogical possibilities in Early Childhood Education, and strengthen the bonds among school, university, and community.